Intro to Arguments
assignments
Oct 2/3: Letter to the Editor
- Read through this PowerPoint. Be sure you understand the definition of claim. Follow the links to each letter to the editor and identify the claim in each argument.
- Write your own letter to the editor that could be published in Fremont's digital newspaper, The Paw Print. If you submit your letter to the Paw Print, you will receive extra credit; if your letter is published in the Paw Print, you will receive copious amounts of extra credit. Here is the prompt.
Oct 6/7: Evidence and Warrant
- Read through this PowerPoint. Be sure you understand the definitions of evidence and warrant.
- Watch this Sherlock Holmes clip. Identify the evidence, warrants, and claims Sherlock makes about Watson.
- Watch these commercials and identify the claim, evidence, and warrant for each. Allstate, Old Spice, and Motivational Speaker
Oct 8/9: Mantis Shrimp Argument
Oct 10/13: A Modest Proposal Argument
- After reading “A Modest Proposal,” write an argument describing Swift’s tone. Your argument must be one full paragraph (6-10 sentences); include valid claim(s), evidence, and warrants; use at least two pieces of textual evidence with accompanying warrants; use an academic tone; and avoid simplistic warrants. You may refer to my example for help, BUT DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!
Oct 14/15: Macbeth Argument
- After reading this scene from Macbeth, write an argument argument about Lady Macbeth’s state of mind. Your argument must be one full paragraph (6-10 sentences); include valid claim(s), evidence, and warrants; use at least two pieces of textual evidence with accompanying warrants; use an academic tone; and avoid simplistic warrants.
Oct 20/21: Pathos
- Read through this PowerPoint about pathos. After reading the excerpts from President Obama's speech and Martin Luther King's letter, answer questions 1-5 (the questions are towards the end of the PowerPoint).
Oct 22/23: Sinners and Safety Belts
- After reading Johnathan Edward's Puritan sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," analyze the ethos by answering the following two questions:
- Edwards struck fear into the hearts of his listeners in order to persuade them to act to avoid everlasting punishment. With your partner, identify a specific metaphor (a comparison) in the sermon that you think is the most persuasive. Explain why you chose this particular metaphor?
- Edwards believed that fear is a great motivator, yet many philosophers and politicians have disagreed. For example, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address, made this famous comment about fear: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” What do you think of the use of fear as a motivator? What emotional appeals might work better than fear? Explain. Your response should be one full paragraph (7-10 sentences).
- Write and illustrate an ad that advocates wearing seat belts. Use words, images, and—most importantly—pathos to make your to persuade you audience to wear seat belts. Your advertisement should be colorful, aesthetically pleasing, and neat; include a motto or slogan; and show consideration for the intended audience. *NOTE: While I'm not grading your artistic ability, I expect your final product to look well-done. *